United Kingdom Cheese Market - Strategic Insights and Forecasts (2025-2030)

United Kingdom Cheese Market Size:

The United Kingdom cheese market is expected to show steady growth in the forecasted timeframe.

The UK cheese market is experiencing an upward turn, supported by ongoing increases in milk use for cheese making. Meanwhile, cheese and curd exports have grown consistently for several years, exceeding other dairy product increases and demonstrating strong global demand. The confidence displayed by investors and producers reflects a home market that is stable and a more competitive export market. Behind this, shifting consumer preferences toward traceability, sustainability and premium quality are influencing production strategies.

United Kingdom Cheese Market Overview & Scope:

The United Kingdom cheese market is segmented by:

• By source: The UK cheese market is segmented into cow, sheep, goat, and others. While cow milk is expected to lead the market, sheep and goat milks are still being used, and rules surrounding non-bovine dairies and marketing based on allergies and artisanal, is a growing sub-market from the current.
• By Type: The UK cheese market is segmented into natural, processed, specialty, and plant?based/vegan. Natural and processed dairy cheeses are produced under rigid hygiene and food safety standards, while specialty and plant-based alternatives are undergoing growth. Labelling requirements and new regulatory frameworks will allow new variations covered under niche and vegan/dairy.
• By Product: The UK cheese market is segmented into mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, and others. The Cheddar market is expected to lead the cheese volumes, and mozzarella and parmesan cheese provide hospitality and home cooking, with 'others' expanding from regionally artisan and farmhouse cheese protected under UK geographical status.
• By Distribution Channel: The UK cheese market is segmented into online and offline. Offline channels, retailers and specialist stores are expected to lead the sales volume channel. Online channels, particularly, are increasing with artisan, specialty and plant-based formats, meeting consumer changes in buying habits and sustainability.
• Region: Geographically, the market is expanding at varying rates depending on the location. Each region has distinct cheesemaking traditions and protected origins, both Stilton in England, Scottish farmhouse cheese and Welsh goat cheese, all strengthened with geographical designation in the UK.

Top Trends Shaping the United Kingdom Cheese Market:

1. Rising cheese exports

• UK cheese exports have experienced increased growth in 2024, leading to increases across other dairy categories. This growth is indicative of the global demand for British cheese, which provides more confidence for producers to invest in capacity and wide-ranging supply chain investments

2. Strengthened allergen and vegan labelling

• Regulators are tightening, specifically around allergen labelling and vegan claims. Under new Food Standards Agency proposals, producers will have to indicate and label cross-contamination risk, even if it is a vegan-labelled cheese. This will improve transparency and consumer confidence.

United Kingdom cheese market Growth Drivers vs. Challenges:

Drivers:

• Rising global cheese demand: Cheese has been the shining star of UK dairy exports, with cheese and curd exports positively showing a year-on-year increase. This global demand will reinforce domestic production confidence and provide impetus for investment in capacity and efficiency from a logistics perspective
• Health-driven consumer preference shift: More shoppers are looking for high-protein, less processed cheese that is related to gut health and the clean label trends. Interest in naturalness and nutritional value, whether from social media or wellness messaging, is contributing to growth in cottage cheese, kefir, and other functional formats.

 Challenges:

• Complex post Brexit export red tape: UK cheese exporters currently face multiple documentation and health certificate checks, and delays in getting these certificates signed off, which raise costs to exporters and disrupt the trading flow with some EU markets
• Labour shortages squeezing dairy output: An increasing number of dairy farms are reducing herd size and output as the recruitment of skilled workers has become an increasing challenge in the post-Brexit economy

United Kingdom Cheese Market Regional Analysis:

• England: From 2015 to 2023, England (and the whole of the UK) experienced a progressive change in the use of milk: a decline in the processing of liquid milk and an increase in cheese production. In 2023, cheese had grown to make up 34% of processed milk, an increase from 28% in 2015. This shows a clear trend towards a focus on cheese instead of liquid milk. The shift in development was driven by changing consumer purchasing habits, trade & demand patterns, and industry strategy. The resulting increase in emphasis on cheese means growth in production capacity and positive consumer interest (in particular, cheese, with cheddar cheese accounting for over 70% of cheese production).

United Kingdom Cheese Market Competitive Landscape:

The United Kingdom cheese market is competitive, with a mix of established players and specialised innovators driving its growth.

• The Dairy Export Programme: The UK Government launched the Dairy Export Programme in late 2023 to support dairy businesses' international market expansion through coordinated market approach opportunities such as trade missions, buyer showcases and export guides, etc.; a transformational programme that aims to expand British dairy's global footprint.

United Kingdom Cheese Market Scope:

United Kingdom Cheese Market Segmentation:

By Source

• Cow Milk
• Sheep Milk
• Goat Milk
• Others
  

By Type

• Natural
• Processed
• Specialty
• Plant-based/ Vegan
  

By Product

• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Other

By Distribution Channel

• Online
• Offline
• Others
  

By Region

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland